[Tomo]

Just installed a centerforce dual friction clutch into my 4 speed 64 GTO. I am having difficulty adjusting the clutch. Should the clutch engage 1" off the floor or do I need to lengthen the rod and push the TO bearing further into the PP. thanks in advance
tom

[Tomo]

Just installed a centerforce dual friction clutch into my 4 speed 64 GTO. I am having difficulty adjusting the clutch. Should the clutch engage 1" off the floor or do I need to lengthen the rod and push the TO bearing further into the PP. thanks in advance
tom

[RPM]

First, I assume you have the clutch installed correctly and have the proper length throw out bearing. I adjust my clutch by lengthening the push rod until all slack is taken up and then back off two turns (more or less for personal preference). What you want is to have the TO bearing retract from the pressure plate fingers when the clutch pedal is up but not have so much slop in the linkage that you have to push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor to get disengagement. If you cannot accomplish clutch adjustment within the limits of the push rod threads then you may just have the wrong length to bearing or not have it installed properly on the fork.

[Tomo]

Thanks for the reply. The PP,TO bearing,clutch and steel flywheel all come from Centerforce and the part numbers were verified by them before I purchase from Summitt. You gave me a idea. I may have slop in the z-bar itself. The way it is adjusted now the To is pushing on the fingers and the pedal needs to be pushed to the floor before it disengages. Any idea on how far the fingers need to be pushed in to disengage the clutch? Thanks for your help.

[RPM]

I didn't think of slop in the Z-bar assembly but that would cause the clutch adjustment porblem you are having. Make sure that all parts of the clutch linkage are good. I don't have actual measurements on how far the fingers need to be depressed to release the disc but my guess it isn't much. Retrace the clutch linkage a make sure each pivot point has only the smallest amount of wear or replace it. The Centerforce Dual Friction is a nice clutch. Once you get the linkage working right you'll enjoy it!

[Tomo]

RPM, thanks for your help. One more question
When the clutch pedal is all the way up is the to bearing several turns into the PP.

[RPM]

When the clutch pedal is all the way retracted the TO bearing should not be touching the pressure plate fingers. Do you have a return spring on the Z-bar?

[old gto]

RPM....along this same line, did`nt the early goats use 2 return springs on the Z-bar, one larger/longer than the other? And if you could re-call where they attatched, as I suspect 1 or both of mine to be incorrect as well. Thanks.

[RPM]

Yes, there should be two springs. The larger one is a return spring and hooks on to the top lever of the z-bar and back to the frame and acts to retract it (trys to pull the clutch pedal up). The smaller one holds the clutch fork, pushrod, and lower lever of the z-bar together. The correct lower spring is a large diameter spring where the push rod goes thorugh it. A picture says a thousand words so I'd suggest getting a shop manual or the "GTO Restoration Guide" for diagrams of the linkage setup.

[Tomo]

Thanks for all the good information. I noticed that when I attached the transmission to the bellhousing that the fork needed to be pulled off the ball pivot. It did not seem right to me. Is the pivot there just to hold the fork until the the trans is inserted? The transmission linkage is a cludge. The body is a 64 the bellhousing is a 67 the z-bar and swivel are a 68-72. The lingage is binding - big time- on the headers. Just ordered a repo 64-65 z-bar from PY. I put 50 miles on the engine/ cluch last night with I belive the TO bearing in contact with the PP fingers. Will examine tonight hope I didn't screw up the TO bearing.Live and learn$$$. tom

[Ed Neasham]

Tom. If everything were all the same year, then it should work as it is. With the different year parts, its hard to say. If you get the new z-bar and it still doesn't work right, you may have to "adjust" things. One thing that might help is that Mr. Gasket sells an adjustable ball pivot. This allows you to position the pivot point fore or aft to get things lined up. It is made for street rods, etc. but will work on your bell housing.

Another thing is on the repro z-bar. The grease fitting hole on it is on the top, not on the bottom like the originals. In addition it is tapped with a 3/8 NF thread instead of the 1/8 pipe thread for a zirc fitting. On my '66 with the R/A manifolds the grease fitting would just barely clear the rear manifold bolt and would have been a bi.ch to grease in the car. I welded the hole up and redrilled and tapped it in the right place on the bottom.

Ed

[stevep]

throw out bearing travel should be between 1/4"-5/16"

Steve Peluso

[old gto]

Thanks RPM! That means my lower spring IS wrong! The pictures in my `66 shop manual are not all that clear.